Camera.



PATBNTED 0111.4, 1904L 'J. S.'WRIGHT.

CAMERA. APPLICATION IILED'NOV. 9, 1903.

No MODEL,

4 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

PATENTED OCT. 4, 1904.

J. S. WRIGHT.

CAMERA.

Armlqmron FILED Nov. 9, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

llllillllllllllll/ with/ess es- PATENTBD 00T. 4, 1904.

J. S. WRIGHT.

GAMER/Af APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9J 1903.

4 slums-slammY a.

No MODELA w 'In C a AN. x ..1 i i--- 35M. P lv f M ,ll. w x. .l o v o 6 u y w/ l 3 7m. 6 ML 0 O J ,w d 6 f o pa/. o f\ m F a W Juli l M No. 771,757. PATENTED OCT. 4. 1904. J. S. WRIGHT. CAMERA.

APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 9, 190s.

No MoDEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Iva-vena? Patented October 4, 1904.

JOHN S. WRIGHT, OF DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,7 57, dated October 4, 1904. Application filed November 9, 1903. Serial No. 180,329. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. /VRIGHT. a citizen of the United States, residing at Duxbury, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in cameras, the object of the invention being to provide a camera capable of taking pictures at a long or short distance from the object in which the reflection of the picture may be made and viewedupon a ground glass of the full size of the picture which it is intended to take.

The invention consists in a camera comprising -in its construction a stationary finder, a movable top plate through which the reflection of the picture upon the finder may be observed, a bellows inclosing the space between said finder and top plate, and a pair of lazytongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end to the frame of the camera.

The invention further consists in the instrumentalities hereinbefore set forthin combination with certain specific improvements by which the movable top plate is manipulated, as hereinafer fully described in the specification and set forth in the claims.

The invention again consists in the combination of a shutter comprising in its construction a slotted curtain and means for actuating said curtain in opposite directions, together with a mirror pivoted t0 the cameracasing and constructed to release said curtain during the upward motion of said mirror for instantaneous exposures, the means for releasing the curtain being' so attached to the mirror that it may be adjusted in such amanner that when it is desired to make a time exposure the curtain willnot be released upon the upward motion of said mirror.

The invention finally consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved camera with a shutter attached thereto, said shutter being preferably of the construction shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me April 28, 1903, No. 726,608. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of my improved camera, partly broken away and shown in section, as taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 with the top-plate bellowsl removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same, partly broken away and shown in section. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 2 looking toward the right in said figure. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 10 10 of Fig. 2 looking toward the left in said figure.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 15 is the casing of my improved camera; 16, the shutter, constructed in accordance with the United States patent issued to me April 28, 1903, No. 726,608.

A lens 17 of any desirable construction is supported upon a lens-board 18, adjustably secured to a slide-front 19. The slide-front 19 is constructed to slide transversely .of the camera upon a base 20, to which it is fastened by a clamp. The lens-board 18, together with the lens 17 and slide-front 19, is movable longitudinally of the tracks 21.

In order that a reiiection of the object to be photographed of the full size of the picture to be taken may be obtained and conveniently observed by the operator, a mirror 64 is provided, pivoted at 65 to the camera-casing. Said mirror is normally held by a spring 66 in a horizontal position, but may be moved to a position at an angle of forty-five degrees with a horizontal plane or with the bottom of the camera by means of the lever 67, located upon the Outside of the camera-casing and fast to a rock-shaft 68, journaled in said camera-casing and connected at its inner end with another lever, 69, said lever 69 having a pin 70 fast thereto, which in turn abuts against the frame of the mirror 64. Vhen the mirror 64 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2-viz., to a position at an angle of forty-tive degrees to the horizontal plane the lower end of said mirror engages and forms a tight joint with a vertical partition 72, located in the interior of the camera-casing and extending upwardly from the bottom thereof, and a catch-iinger? 1, IOO

fast to the frame of said mirror,passes through a vertical slot 7 3, Fig. 4, in the partition 72 and engages a catch 74, pivoted at to the partition 72. The catch 74 is held normally in the position shown in Fig. 4 by a spiral spring 76, fastened at one end thereof to a rod 77 and at the other end thereof bearing against an eye-guide 78, fast to the partition 72. A collar 79, fast to the left-hand end of the rod 77,'lim'i'ts the motion of said rod toward the right.

A pneumatic cylinder 80 extends through one side of the casing 15 and is provided with a piston 81 and piston-rod 82, said piston-rod being guided in a plate 83, fast to the partition 72 and bearing at the left-hand end thereof against the catch 74. A rubber tube 84 is attached to the pneumatic cylinder 80 and is provided with a bulb, (not shown, but well known to those skilled in this art,) whereby the pneumatic piston 81 and rod 82 are forced toward the left, Fig. 4, when it is desired to release the spring-finger 71 from the catch 74. Then the bulb is compressed, the rod 82 will vbe forced toward the left and the catch 74 tipped upon its pivot 75, releasing the finger 71 and allowing the mirror 64 to bc moved upwardly by the action of the spring 66 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. The refiection from the mirror 64 when the same is placed at an angle of forty-live degrees, as hereinbefore described, is thrown upon a ground-glass finder 85, fast to the interior of the camera-casing, Fig. 2. Immediately above said ground-glass finder is a top plate 86, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, provided with a slot 87, extending therethrough. Said top plate has pivotally connected to each end thereof a pair of lazy-tongs, the lower end of each of said pairs of lazy-tongs being pivotally connected to the casing of the camera. The upper pair of links 89 90 of the lazy-tongs 88 are pivoted at 91 92, respectively, to a plate 93, fast to the top plate 86. Each of the links 89 and 90 have fastened thereto segmental gears 94 and 95, respectively, which intermesh one with the other. rlhe lower pair of links 96 and 97 of each ofthe sets of lazy-tongs 88 is pivoted at 98 and 99, respectively, to the camera-casing 15 and have fastened thereto segmental gears 100 and 101, said segmental gears being provided upon their periphery with stops 102 103, respectively, arranged to engage one with the other and limit the upward motion of the lazy-tongs and of the Inovable top plate 86 attached thereto. The upward motion of the lazy-tongs and of the movable top is imparted by a spiral spring 104, connecting two opposite pairs of links of said lazy-tongs.

A bellows 105 is fastened at one end to the under side of the movable top 86 and at the other end thereof to the frame of the ground glass 85. Then the bellows 105 are collapsed, the lazy-tongs and bellows are inclosed within the casing of the camera and covered by two covers 106 106, hinged to the casing of said camera, and by the movable top 86, which forms a light-tight joint with said covers, and when in the position shown in Fig. 2 the covers 106 106 and the movable top plate 86 are locked in position by slides 107 107, Fig. 1, which are forced away from each other by a two-armed spring 108, so that the opposite ends of said slides engage notches 109, provided in arms 110, fast to the covers 106. Then the movable top is in its elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1, the locking-slides 107 engage notches 111, provided in the outer ends of the arms 110, and hold the covers 106 in the position shown in said figure. rl`he springs 108 upon each side of the camera are manipulated to disengage the slides 107 from the arms 110 by means of pins 112 112, fast thereto and projecting through a slot 113, formed in the casing of the camera. Then the movable top 86 is not being used for the purpose of observing the picture upon the ground-glass finder, a slide 114, Fig. 3, is moved across the slot 87 to cut olf the light from the interior of the camera. Said slide is pivoted at each end thereof to arms 115 115, which in turn are pivoted at 116 116 to the top plate 86, the slide being moved across the slot 87 or away from said slot by means of the pin 117, which extends upwardly from the arm 115 through a slot 118, provided in the top plate 86.

The shutter 16 is substantially like that shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 726,608, granted to me April 28, 1903, and consists of a curtain 119, Fig. 5, which is alternately wound upon rotary rolls 120 and 121, said rolls being rotated by torsional spiral springs 122 123, respectively, said springs being alternately released to rotate said rolls by the pistons 124 and 125, Fig. 2, arranged to slide longitudinally of the cylinder 126 and alternately moved longitudinally thereof by a wedge 127. The wedge 127 bears upon its upper side against a pin 128, fast to the piston 124 and projecting through a slot 157, extending through the casing 15 and cylinder 126, and at its lower side against a pin 129, fast to the piston and projecting through a slot 158, extending through the casing 15 and cylinder 126. Said wedge 127 is pivotally connected at 130 to a slide 131, guided in a plate 132, fast to the casing of the camera, and is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2, at the extreme right, by a spring 133. Then the piston 124 is free to be moved upwardly in the cylinder 126, the piston 125 is locked, and vice versa. The releasing-wedge 127 and slide 131 are moved toward the left by a cam-shaped projection 134, fast to an arm 135, pivotally attached at 136 to the frame of the mirror 64. The arm is provided with a slot 137, which engages a pin 138, fast to an arm 139 in the interior of the camera-casing, said arm 139 IOO being fast to a rock-shaft 140, journaled in the camera-casing and fastened atits outer end to an arm 141, said arm 141 being provided with a locking-pin 142, which engages holes at each extreme of the movement of said arm provided in the plate 143, fast to the casing of the camera. Vhen it is desired during the upward movement of the mirror hereinbefore described that the slide 131 shall be moved toward the left and the curtain of the shutter released, as hereinafter described, the arm 141 is lowered from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, thus through the arm 139 and pin 138 swinging the arm 135 toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, so that when the mirror moves upwardly the cam-shaped projection 134 will engage the slide 131 and move it toward the left in said figure. When the arm 135 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the mirror moves upwardly, the projection134 will not engage the release-slide 131, so that the curtain will notbe aifectedbythe upward movement of said mirror. Assuming the shuttercurtain 119 to be wound upon the roll 120 and the piston 125 locked, if now the wedge 127 be moved tow ard the left from the position shown in Fig. 2 the piston 124 would b'e moved upwardly, rocking the pawl-lever 144 upon its pivot and releasing the ratchet 145, whereupon the spring 143 upon the lower spindle 147 will unwind, rotating the tube 148 and unwinding said curtain from the tube 149, said tube 149 rotating, together with the spindle to which it is locked by the clutch- 'disk 150, until the stop-tooth 151 comes in contact with the intermittent pinion-gear 152. rlhe curtain is now wound upon the roll 121 and the piston 124 locked. When the releasing-wedge 127 is next moved toward the left, the piston 125 will be moved downwardly until it engages the pawl-lever 153, disengaging said pawl-lever from the ratchet 154, and thus freeing the spindle 147, together with the tube 148, fast thereto, whereupon the spring 122 will unwind, rotating the tube 149, winding the curtain upon the upper roll, unwinding said curtain from the lower roll, and rotating said lower roll until the stop-tooth 155 comes in contact with the intermittent piniongear 156. The operations hereinbefore described are repeated, alternately pushing in in oneI of the spindles and then the other and subsequently pressing the bulb to release the mirror and also to operate the releaseslide 131. After each pressure of the bulb and movement of a spindle toward the right the spring on the spindle which is so moved is subsequently wound up.

The general operation of my improved camera is as follows: The reflection of the object is cast by the lens upon the mirror 64 and thence reiiected upon the ground glass 85 of the full size of the picture which is to be taken. In order to observe this reflection upon the ground glass and to see whether the lens is in proper focus, the movable top plate 86 and covers 106 106 are released by pressing the pins 112 112 toward eac-h other and moving the slides 107 out of contact with the arms 110, whereupon the spring 104 will cause the lazy-tongs 88 to expand and raise the movable top 86 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. lmviz., at an angle of forty-tive degrees with the bottom of the camera. The apparatus is now in position for the operator to observe the reflection of the picture upon the ground glass and adjust the lens to proper focus by means of the handle 40. When the operator has brought the lens into proper focus, he depresses the movable top 86 and locks the samein the position shown in Fig. 2 by loweringthe covers 106 106 until the locking-slides 107 engage the notches 109 109 upon the arms 110 110. The camera is now in proper position to takev a picture, the operator presses the bulb connected with the rubber tube 84, operating the spring-controlled catch 74 and disengaging the iin ger 71, thus allowing the mirror to be moved upwardly by the spring' 66 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. If the mirror in passing upwardly causes the projection 134 to actuate the releasing-slide 131, as hereinbefore described and as shown in Fig'. 1, then an instantaneous picture will have been taken by reason of the slotted curtain 119 of the shutter 16 having been released and moved across the film, as hereinbefore described. If, on the contrary, it is desired to take a picture by time exposure, then the curtain in the shutter is wound upon one of the spindles until an open space in said curtain comes opposite the film, and the picture is then vtaken by removing the cap from the lens or by opening the door 54 in the drop front 29, as hereinbefore described. Then it is desired to take a picture at a distance of over one hundred feet from thc object, a long-focus lens is used and the dropfront 29 is lowered to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and the slide-front 19 moved from the interior of the camera to engage the guide-tracks 21 upon said drop-front. rIhe lens is then focused by means of the handle 35 and the picture taken, as hereinbefore described, when the slide-front was within the camera-casing'.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire by Letters Patent to secure, 1s-

1. Acamera comprising in its construction a stationary finder, amovable top plate, a collapsible bellows inclosing the space between said top plate and finder, and a pair of lazytongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end thereof to the frame of said camera.

2. A camera comprising in its construction a stationary finder, a movable top plate, a col- TOO lapsible bellows inclosing the space between said Vtop plate and finder, a pair of lazy-tongs to the frame of said camera, and a spring connecting two of the links of said lazy-tongs.

3. A camera comprising in its construction a stationary finder, a movable top plate, a collapsible bellows inclosing the space between said top plate and finder, a pair of lazy-tongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end thereof togthe frame of said camera, and means to lock said lazy-tongs and finder within the casing of said camera.

4. A camera comprising in its construction, a stationary finder, a movable top plate, a collapsible bellows inclosing the space between said top plate and finder, a pair of lazy-tongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end thereof to the frame of said camera, and a pair of gears, each fast, respectively, to one of two adjacent terminating links of said lazy-tongs and intermeshing with each other.

5. Acamera comprising in its construction a stationary finder, a movable top plate, a collapsible bellows inclosing the space between said top plate and finder, a pair of lazy-tongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end thereof `to the frame of said camera, a pair of segmental gears, each fast respectively to one of two adjacent terminating links of said lazytongs and intermeshing with each other, and a stop provided upon the periphery of each of said gears and constructed to engage one with the other.

6. A camera comprising in its construction a stationary finder, a movable top plate, a collapsible bellows inclosing the space between said top plate and finder, a pair of lazy-tongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end thereof to the frame of said camera, a cover hinged to the casing of said camera and constructed to close over said finder when said bellows are in the collapsed position, and means to lock said cover and movable top plate to said casing.

7. A camera comprising in its construction a stationary finder, a movable top plate, a co1- lapsible bellows inclosing the space between said top plate and finder, a pair of lazy-tongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end thereof to the frame of said camera, a cover hinged to the casing of said camera, an arm on said cover, and a locking-slide arranged to slide in ways upon said camera-casing and to engage and lock said arm to said casing.

8. A camera comprising in its construction a stationary finder, a movable top plate, a collapsible bellows inclosing the space between said top plate and finder, a pair of lazy-tongs pivotally connected at one end to said movable top plate and at the other end thereof to the frame of said camera, a pair of covers hinged to the casing of said camera upon opposite sides, respectively, of said bellows, an arm on each of said covers, and a pair of springcontrolled locking-slides arranged to slide in opposite directions in ways provided upon said camera and to engage and lock said arms to said casing.

9. In a camera. a movable top plate, consisting of a plate provided with a slot extending therethrough, a slide arranged to extend across said slot, and two arms, each of said arms pivoted at one end thereof to the casing of said camera and at the other end to opposite ends, respectively, of said slide.

10. A camera comprising in its construction a shutter, a curtain-releasing slide connected to said shutter, a mirror pivoted to the casing of said camera, and an arm pivotally supported upon said mirror and adapted to engage said releasing-slide.

ll. A camera comprising in its construction a shutter, a curtain-releasing slide connected to said shutter, a mirror pivoted to the casing of said camera, an arm pivoted to said mirror, and means to throw said arm into and out of engagement with said releasing-slide.

l2. A camera comprising in its construction a shutter, a curtain-releasing slide connected to said shutter, a mirror pivoted to the casing of said camera, a slotted arm pivoted to said mirror, a projection upon said arm adapted to engage said releasing-slide during the latter part of the upward movement of said mirror, and a rocker-arm engaging the slot in said pivoted arm.

13. A camera comprising in its construction a spring-actuated mirror pivoted to the casing of said camera, a catch constructed to engage said mirror and lock the same against the action of said spring, and a pneumatic piston constructed to engage said catch and release said mirror.

14. A camera comprising in its construction a spring-actu ated mirror pivoted to the casing of said camera, a linger fast to said mirror, a spring-catch pivoted to said casing and constructed to engage said finger; in combination with a pneumatic cylinder, piston, and pistonrod, said pneumatic cylinder extending through said casing' and said piston-rod arranged to engage said catch and release said mirror.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. WRIGHT. Witnesses:

CHARLES S. GooDiNG, ANNIE J. DAILEY.

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